Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK2)
The Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK2) '''(also knowin as simply '''Honda Civic TCR in 2015–16)''' '''is a TCR Touring Car, built by JAS Motorsport, which is Honda's longtime partner in touring car racing. The car, which is based on the FK2 model of the road going version of the ninth generation Civic, made its official racing debut in 2015. Rather than being modified racing cup car, the Civic TCR is one of the first cars built specifically for the TCR regulations. For the three seasons in the TCR International Series, the FK2 Civic TCR and FK2 Civic Type R TCR finished on the tep step of the podium 22 times. Racing history Honda Civic TCR With the announcement of the newly formed TC3 International Series (later renamed to the TCR International Series), JAS Motorsport, which at the time was also spearheading Honda's campaign in the World Touring Car Championship, announced that it will build Honda Civic cars, based on the new regulations, for customers in the new series. In November of that year WestCoast Racing was announced as the first team to run the car. For the inaugural season of the TCR International Series Honda/JAS was represented by WestCoast Racing for the opening round at the Sepang International Circuit with the team entering 3 Honda Civic TCR cars. During the rounds in Asia, which were co-organised with the TCR Asia Series, the number of Civic TCR cars increased. Over the course of the season of the 22 races held the car won 6 times - Gianni Morbidelli scored 3 wins, Kevin Gleason was on the top step on the podium twice and Robert Huff won the first race at the Guia Circuit. The Civic TCR won the first season of TCR Asia Series with Michael Choi behind the wheel. It was the only TCR championship won by a driver not racing with the SEAT Léon Cup Racer during the year. For the 2016 season the car was updated. Again WestCoast Racing was running 3 cars during the entire season, with other entrants entering Civics on race-by-race basis. During the season 9 wins were scored by drivers, racing with the car - 4 wins were from Mikhail Grachev, while Morbidelli, Gleason, Aku Pellinen, Roberto Colciago and Tiago Monteiro won 1 each. WestCoast Racing finished 3rd in the teams' championship. The Civic TCR partially helped Josh Files to win the ADAC TCR Germany title (he raced in SEAT Léon Cup Racer at the opening races), Roberto Colciago won the TCR Italy championship at the wheel of Civic TCR while Stéphane Lémeret won the TCR BeNeLux title also driving Civic TCR Honda Civic Type R TCR The car was updated again for the 2017 season, now named Honda Civic Type R TCR, in unison with the Civic Type R road car. WestCoast Racing ended its association with JAS Motorsport by switching to Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR. M1RA, a team formed by then Honda works driver Norbert Michelisz, became the manufacturer's leading team. The team won the teams' championship in the TCR International Series' final season with Attila Tassi finishing 2nd in the drivers' standings. Josh Files successfuly defended his TCR Germany title as well as winning the TCR Middle East title with the Civic, while Benjamin Lessennes became TCR BeNeLux champion. Nowdays the FK2 Civic Type R TCR has been gradually replaced by its successor, based on the newer FK8 Civic Type R model. Some FK2 examples are still racing at the hands of smaller privateers, the most notable being Mattias Andersson driving 2016-spec Civic TCR in the TCR Scandinavia Championship. Championships won Race Wins TCR International Series Category:TCR Cars